I'm Glad I Failed
by theoriginalmeathead
Summary: OneShot. Kel's tired of playing matchmaker. Will she go so far as to put her own love for Dom behind her for the sake of an old friend? KD. Extreme Fluff. Please R&R.


**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

**I'm Glad I Failed  
**_By The ORIGINAL Meathead_

Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan sat quietly in her rooms at the palace. She was waiting for a letter to arrive from her best friend at her home fief of Mindelan and she was starting to get impatient.

As a knock sounded at her door Kel leapt up to open it. Her mouth dropped, instead of the Page she expected delivering the letter she came face to face with her best friend Aisha of Monara. Kel grinned and leapt towards Aisha, enveloping her in a hug.

"It's so good to see you Kel! You're looking great!"

"Same to you! You're looking beautiful as always Aisha!"

It was true. Aisha was a real beauty. She had dark red hair that tumbled down her back and honey brown eyes. She had high cheekbones and flawless skin. She oozed charm and confidence. She turned many male heads as she walked, no matter what she was wearing. Her vision of beauty was unrivalled.

Most people would think that someone that beautiful would be shallow and self-centred, but Aisha wasn't. She had a lovely, lively personality. Laughter was always ready to escape her lips. She always remained down to earth and made sure that she did things that challenged her.

That was why she took up healing. At first she had wanted to be like Kel and fight but changed her mind once she found out that Kel had been put on probation. She went to university instead. She was a year younger then Kel so she went to the university the year after Kel's best male friend, Neal, left to pursue his dream of knighthood.

Kel invited Aisha in and they spent the day catching up. Swapping stories and discussing the ball they were to attend that night.

_Kel still hasn't changed_ mused Aisha,_ she still doesn't realise how beautiful she is. With her hair out and with a light layer of face paint Kel would be turning more heads than the Queen. She definitely has the figure to pull it off too. I'll have to see what I can do for tonight's ball. Tonight, Kel is going to get her Prince Charming and I'm going to get mine, _she thought determinedly.

The two didn't realise how much time had passed until they heard the 6th bell of the evening ring. The ball was to start at the 7th bell of the evening. Aisha sprinted to her rooms to get the things she would need before sprinting back to Kel's room so they could get ready together.

When they were finished they both looked stunning.

Kel was wearing an emerald green gown that brought out the green flecks in her dreamers hazel eyes. The gown had a tight bodice with a moderately low v-necked neckline. Sparkling silver threads were weaving through the full skirts. Kel wore diamond eardrops and a matching necklace.

She let her hair out for a change, and it tumbled down her back in soft curls. Aisha had lightly applied face paints. Simplicity was the key to Kel's outfit and it made her look absolutely dazzling.

Aisha was wearing a pale pink gown with magenta roses stitched into the hems of the dress. Her neckline plunged, showing off her assets. She was wearing pink sapphire eardrops and a matching necklace.

She had her half her hair up away from her face and the other half straightened and tumbling down her back. She had lightly applied face paints that brought out her natural beauty. The overall picture was amazing.

Kel looked at Aisha enviously, oblivious to her own beauty. _Aisha will be turning many heads tonight_ she thought. _Especially the eligible bachelors._ Kel had a pang of nervousness at the thought of her crush Dom seeing her all dressed up. _He probably won't even see me,_ she thought, _not with Aisha standing next to me anyway._

oOo

Kel stood behind the deep red drapes at the top of the staircase descending down into the Grand Ballroom wringing her hands.

"I can't believe you talked me into being announced."

"And why ever not? You're looking stunning."

_I don't feel stunning, well not next to you anyway, I feel like a wild boar that has been out rolling in the mud,_ she thought bitterly. Kel immediately berated herself. She loved Aisha like a sister but sometimes she couldn't help but be jealous of her. Everything was served to her on a silver platter yet she is still remained level headed and tonight she was going for gold. Tonight, she wanted to find herself a husband.

At the thought bout of nervousness took over Kel. What if she took an interest in Dom? Kel wouldn't be able to blame her if she did. The next lady was announced. There were only two more people then there was Kel.

As always when under pressure self-doubt floated in the front most of Kel's mind.

"What are they going to think? What if they think I'm ugly? What are they going to do? How are they going to react? What if I don't get asked to dance? What if I'm on my own for the entire night? What if-"

"Kel. Stop talking!" said Aisha rolling her eyes. "Don't worry. They're going to love you. You look beautiful. Any man that doesn't like you must be insane."

"Or conservative," muttered Kel.

"Or both," agreed Aisha with a grin.

Kel couldn't help but grin in return, some of her nervousness abating.

"Lady Aisha of Monara!" called the herald.

"That's me!" whispered Aisha, "Don't panic while I'm gone!"

Kel nodded mutely as Aisha walked through the drapes separating the waiting room and the Grand Ballroom. Aisha's entrance commanded many sighs from the Ballroom. Sighs of longing from the men and sighs of envy from the women. Kel could feel her small dinner churning up inside her belly, fuelled by her massive bout of butterflies.

Aisha was a hard act to follow but Kel would hold her head high and move with as much grace and poise as she knew how. Kel smiled grimly trying to keep a firm grip on this new confidence. She could do this!

"Lady Knight, Keladry of Mindelan!"

In an instant, Kel's newfound confidence had vanished. She quickly persuaded a small smile onto her face and tried as hard as she could to make it sincere. She moved through the drapes and was momentarily blinded by the brightly lit Ballroom.

Her hand rested lightly on the banister of the stairs as she descended. Rather than breathe a sigh of relief when she reached the bottom of the staircase she kept moving with as much elegance as she could. She came to a halt in front of the thrones.

"Your majesties," she murmured dropping into a low curtsey.

King Jonathon inclined his head in her direction his eyes twinkling. Thayet did the same murmuring,

"You look fantastic Kel. Did Lalasa do your dress?"

Kel smiled and nodded. She always felt so proud of Lalasa and the name she had made for herself. Kel stood and moved off to the side where Aisha was waiting patiently.

"See!" she said with childish delight, "Getting presented with us single women wasn't too bad was it?"

"No," Kel said with a smile, "It wasn't."

Kel started to move her way through the crowd beckoning for Aisha to follow.

"It's time for you to meet my friends," said Kel.

"Goody goody," said Aisha with a slightly wolfish grin, rubbing her hands together eagerly.

Kel walked up behind Neal and tapped him on the shoulder saying, "Hello boys."

Her friend's mouths dropped. It seemed that they had missed her entrance to the Ballroom. After a couple of seconds when Kel started to get a bit uncomfortable with the stares Aisha muttered in her ear,

"And you were thinking that they would think you were ugly. By the looks of it you got a Knight's sign of approval eh?"

Kel glared at Aisha.

"For all you know they might be stunned by my ugliness," she stated haughtily, "besides, they're all looking at you now."

Aisha shook her head and said, "Why can't you accept that you look beautiful Kel?"

When she didn't receive a reply she threw her hands up in the air and exclaimed, "That's it! I give up!"

Neal was the first to recover his capability of speech.

"Hi Kel," he said stooping to give her a hug, "You look fantastic!"

A chorus of 'yeahs' from her other friends followed. A blush crept up Kel's cheeks but she hurriedly pushed it away slipping on her Yamani Blank face. All her friends then focused on Aisha.

"Aren't you going to introduce us to this stunning vision of a woman Kel?" asked Faleron, taking Aisha's hand and pressing his lips to her knuckles gently.

Kel suppressed a smile.

"Of course. Aisha this is Neal, Merric, Seaver, Cleon, Faleron, Owen and Esmond," she said pointing them each out in turn. "Lads, this is Lady Aisha of Monara, my best friend from back home at Mindelan."

The boys all bowed to Aisha who curtsied back giggling slightly.

"Pleased to make your acquaintance," she said flirtatiously.

After a few minutes of chitchat Aisha said, "If you boys, I mean, _men_ would excuse us," before dragging Kel a few meters away. She started talking not realizing that the boys could still hear them.

"Information please." said Aisha impatiently.

"About what?" said Kel innocently.

Aisha gave an exasperated sigh.

"Your boys!" she exclaimed.

"They're not mine." said an amused Kel.

Aisha looked like she could scream in frustration so Kel quickly said, "You want to know who isn't courting anyone and who is?"

Aisha nodded.

"Ah. Well, Neal has a fiancé."

"The extremely handsome one with the green eyes?"

"Yes, and Cleon is married. He's the one with red hair."

"Tall or Short?"

"Tall. Now M-"

"He's cute."

"Yes. I know," said Kel impatiently, "I have been friends with them for a long time."

"Touchy touchy," said Aisha with a grin.

Kel rolled her eyes.

"As I was saying, Merric, he's the short one with the red hair, and Owen, the one with the brown curls, well, they're both off limits."

"Why? Do you fancy them?"

Kel rolled her eyes.

"No. _I_ don't fancy them _but_ I have friends who do."

"Who?"

"Well, Lady Georgina of Pinnacle Place fancies Merric and Lady Tamsyn of Balmoral fancies Owen."

"Oh! Georgie and Tamo, can't flirt with their boys now can we?"

"No. Which is exactly why they're off limits. Now Esmond, he's the one with the freckles, he's not courting anyone but I think he's got his eye on Lady Claire of Port Legan."

"Pity. I like freckles." mused Aisha.

Kel rolled her eyes.

"What about the other two? Are they courting anyone?"

"No. Neither Faleron nor Seaver are courting anyone."

"Good. Which ones which?"

"Faleron is the dark handsome one and Seaver is the uh...other dark handsome one?"

"Gee that was helpful Kel!"

"Uh Faleron is the one that spoke to you earlier."

"You do mean _flirted_, don't you?"

oOo

The boys were standing there dumbfounded.

"Did any of you know court ladies talked like this?" Owen asked weakly.

Everybody shook their head 'no'.

"Did any of you know _Kel_ was like this?" asked Seaver incredulously.

This received another round of 'No's.

They stood in a stunned silence.

"Wow," Cleon muttered, "Who knew Kel thought of us like that?"

"Well, she doesn't actually _think_ of us like that. She _sees_ us like that. I mean, none of you can say that you never noticed that Kel was pretty right?" hypothesized Neal thoughtfully.

Neal looked up to see his cousin Dom approaching so he waved half-heartily in hello, still mulling over this new side of Kel. When Dom reached them he slung an arm around Neal's shoulders and said,

"How you going Meathead?"

Neal sniffed disdainfully and said, "That's _Sir_ Meathead to you!"

Dom opened his mouth to reply but Neal shushed him. He realised the girls had started talking again.

Dom listened in eagerly.

oOo

"You really know how to pick your friends don't you Kel? There isn't an unattractive one in the bunch!"

"I'm not friends with them because they're attractive. I'm friends with them because they're well...them...if you get what I mean."

"Not sure I'm following."

Kel dismissed it with a wave of her hand.

"It's not important. All you need to know is that I'm not friends with them for their looks. They all have stuff on the inside too."

Kel glanced over at her friends and saw Dom joining them. Her heart flipped over in her chest. Dom looked incredibly handsome tonight.

"Ooo who's that! He's absolutely dashing!" exclaimed Aisha excitedly.

"That's Dom," said Kel quietly, "He's Neal's cousin."

"Another friend of yours?"

"Yes. We met when I was a Squire with Lord Raoul. He's a Sergeant in the Third Company of the Kings Own."

"This group of friends of yours is getting more attractive by the minute Kel! Are you sure you aren't friends with them for their looks?"

"I already told you. No!"

"Is he courting anybody?"

"Who?"

"Dom."

Kel paused slightly before answering in a small voice, "No."

"Does anyone we know fancy him? Wait don't answer that. It's a stupid question. Of course we know ladies who fancy him! Who couldn't? Besides you of course Kel. I really do admire your strength. I know I wouldn't have been able to hold out!"

Kel gave her a weak smile.

"Good," said Aisha determinedly, "He's going to be mine for the night," she rubbed her hands together eagerly, "Better go now otherwise somebody else will get him first! See you later Kel!" she paused before turning to Kel, "Do you think I have a chance with him? Judging by the rest of your friends and by your letters its not only good looks he's got...Am I right?"

"You definitely have a chance Aisha, no man has ever been able to resist you. You're right though, about Dom, he's got more than just looks." said Kel, her Yamani Blank face firmly in place.

"So you're saying he has personality too! What luck!"

"And charm and a sense of humor and he's smart as well," added Kel.

"What's he like with weapons?"

Kel looked at her exasperatedly.

"I told you he was a sergeant didn't I?"

"Oh yes. That's right...Are you sure I have a chance with him?"

"Definitely." said Kel.

"Thanks Kel! You're the best friend a girl could have." she exclaimed before hugging Kel tightly and gliding over to the boys to introduce herself to Dom.

oOo

Neal and Dom exchanged looks, eyebrows raised. When Aisha reached the group, she curtseyed, offering her hand to Dom.

"You must be the Sergeant Domitian I've heard so much about." She said flirtatiously.

With a small grin on his face Dom leaned forward and grasped her hand with his raising it to his lips and pressing a soft kiss to it.

"I hope all of it was good Lady Aisha." He joked; unaware of the jealous glare Faleron was giving him.

Throughout the exchange however, Neal kept his eyes trained on Kel, a small frown on his face.

oOo

Kel watched her go her Yamani Blank face firmly in place. She felt cracks slowly spreading through out her heart. No man had ever been able to resist Aisha's charms for long. Dom would be head over heels in love with Aisha by the end of the night. Kel impatiently wiped a lone tear away.

Dom and Aisha would make a perfect couple Kel admitted as she watched them flirting. Both were outstanding in their chosen fields. Dom in fighting and Aisha in healing. Both were incredibly attractive and both finally wanted to give up their free lives in court and settle down. They complimented each other perfectly and Kel would not come between them, regardless of her own feelings.

As she watched them flirt and dance with each other through the night she knew that she had done the right thing. They would be happy together.

oOo

Towards the end of the night Neal approached Kel. She was sitting by herself in an alcove looking out onto the dance floor. Neal sat down next to Kel and waited for her to speak. When a couple of minutes had past and she still hadn't said anything Neal sighed and said, "Something's bothering you Kel. I can tell. Why don't you tell me?"

Kel looked up at Neal. The look of sadness in her eyes nearly breaking his heart.

"Come on Kel, you know you can tell me anything."

"I know," she sighed.

Neal didn't say anything, waiting for Kel to go on.

"I'm sick of playing matchmaker Neal. I brought you and Yuki together even though I had a massive crush on you at the time. Look at what happened tonight, Owen and Tamsyn and Merric and Georgina finally go their acts together after months of pushing from me."

Kel looked Neal in the eye.

"I want to find my own happily ever after. I want the person I'm in love with to love _me_ back for once. Is it really too much to ask?"

Neal swept Kel up in a hug.

"No Kel, it's not too much. You really are the best friend a man could have. You know that don't you? Anyway, who did you have you mind on?"

Kel looked out at the dance floor. Neal followed her gaze and saw Aisha and Dom dancing together, much closer then protocol demanded.

"Dom?" he asked incredulously, "But then..."

All the missing pieces started to come together. The tone in Kel's voice when she told Aisha that Dom wasn't courting anyone. The lone tear after she had left. Why Kel had declined numerous men who had asked her to dance, only dancing with her friends. With a pang Neal realised that Dom was the only one that hadn't asked her to dance.

He looked at Kel again. Her Yamani Blank face had slipped. Pain and heartache was evident on Kel's face. Neal glanced at the dance floor when she looked away. Dom was whispering in Aisha's ear and she was giggling.

"I can't take this anymore," whispered Kel and with that she fled to the balcony outside.

Neal watched her go but made no move to follow her. Instead he got up and started striding towards Dom and Aisha just in time to see Faleron ask Aisha for a dance. It was up to him to put things right for Kel.

oOo

Kel stood out on the balcony impatiently wiping a tear from her face. She refused to cry over any man. She didn't know why she was having such a hard time getting over Dom. It had been a lot easier with Neal and Cleon. Maybe it was so hard because she had like him for so long. Six years is a very long time.

Kel heard the door behind her creak open. Kel didn't turn around. She assumed it was Neal. He was the only one who knew she was out here. It was either him or a random person.

"Kel?" said a slightly husky voice.

Kel froze. _He didn't did he?_ Kel slowly turned around. There was Dom, standing there, watching her.

_I am going to _kill_ Neal next time I see him._

She quickly spun back around so that he couldn't see her face.

"Is everything alright?"

"Just fine." Kel snapped impatiently. "Go back inside to Aisha."

"I don't want to. I want to stay with you."

Kel's traitorous stomach flipped and her heart started beating faster. Kel swallowed nervously.

"Why would you say something that?"

She heard Dom walking closer. He didn't stop until he was right behind her. Kel tensed, still refusing to turn around.

"Because it's the truth. Sure Aisha's beautiful, but she's nothing compared to you."

Kel blinked confusedly and unconsciously turned her head to look at Dom.

"Did I just hear you say that you think that I am more beautiful than Aisha?"

Dom nodded and took a step closer. Their faces were inches apart now.

"I think you need your eyes checked Dom," said Kel flatly, struggling to keep her racing heart under control and avoid eye contact.

Dom chuckled. The deep sound sent shivers up and down her spine. Dom inched closer yet. Kel could feel his hot breath on her face. Her eyes darted to his lips.

"What are you doing Dom," she whispered.

"Look at me Kel."

Kel made the mistake of looking up. Her breath caught in her throat. Her eyes got caught in his gaze. It was impossible to look away.

Dom brushed his lips gently against hers. Her lips ached for more of his touch so she did the only thing she could think of.

She lent up and kissed him solidly on the mouth. He returned the kiss with vigour. The kiss was frantic and passionate. They pulled each other's body close. Only when they were starting to get dizzy from the lack of oxygen did they separate.

"So I guess what Meathead said is true then?" said Dom trying to catch his breath.

"It depends on what he said," said Kel who was equally as breathless.

Dom looked Kel in the eye and said, "He said that you were in love with me."

Kel averted her gaze and nodded slightly. Dom groaned and leaned his forehead against her neck.

"Why couldn't you have told me this months ago Kel? It would have saved me the pain at trying to get over you!"

Kel looked at him surprised.

"You were trying to get over me?"

Dom nodded bringing Kel as close as he possibly could.

"The key word in that sentence was 'trying'. I failed miserably."

Kel ran her hands through his silky, thick hair. Dom brought his head back up and captured Kel's lips with his own. He eased his lips over hers, savouring her taste. When they broke apart Dom looked at Kel, his love for her shining in his eyes murmuring,

"I'm glad I failed."

**The End.**

* * *

**Aaah, not my favourite piece of work. Please R&R! Any feedback is welcome. :-)**

**Sam**


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